Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Welcome to White Space.

You have been living here for as long as you can remember.

.

..

...

In the White Space, everything was bright white, there were no walls, just 4 small lines on the floor, forming a small "room".

(Was it a floor? He didn't know. He didn't know anything else.)

Mewo was sitting behind one of the lines, he was sleeping quietly.

The laptop was nearby. Omori liked sitting at it, the heat warmed his lap. It felt nice.

A lightbulb hangs from the ceiling, wherever he is. Inside, it's pitch black. Nothing to see.

A sketchbook with pictures he's drawn. He liked to draw. A few sheets were blank, still waiting for inspiration to strike.

A tissue box stood next to the sketchbook. They often wiped his sorrows away.

A shiny knife. He found it here in the White Space once. Now he just kept it. It was useful.

And a door. A white door, casting a faint shadow. Behind it is the Neighbor's Room. Behind it are his friends. Kel, Aubrey, Hero...

Basil sometimes joined them, but most often they found him next to Mari, his older sister, on the forest playground.

Approaching Mewo, Omori gently pet it. Which made it wake up and meow. Was he waiting for something to happen? Not really. He just liked petting Meow. Its fur was really soft.

He liked the Headspace. It was peaceful. His friends were here, having fun with them. He was happy. Mari was here. His dear sister.

(At least she spent time with him somewhere. At least she had time for him somewhere.)

.

..

...

He opened the white door and walked out of the White Space. Almost immediately, Aubrey noticed him and ran up to.

"Hey, Omori!" She smiled happily. Her silky purple hair, waist length, slightly fluttered as she ran. "We've been waiting for you! Do you want to play cards with us?"

Kel and Hero also ran up to them. Hero had a small smile on his face and waved in greeting. Kel, in turn, came closer and ruffled Omori's hair.

"Omori, you finally came! I almost beat Aubrey!" He grinned triumphantly, while Aubrey pouted.

"Not true! You're just cheating!" Kel just rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue, causing the girl to gasp at such a cheeky answer.

However, before she could say anything, Hero intervened.

"You two, calm down. We'll find out who wins when the game is over." He tore his gaze away from Aubrey and Kel and back up to Omori. "Are you with us, Omori?"

Omori nodded, then sat down on the floor near the cards. His friends sat down too and continued playing. Kel and Aubrey sometimes bickered and sulked at each other. However, it all quickly ended with Hero winning.

This made Omori smile slightly. Amusingly.

He liked being with his friends. They went through a lot of adventures together, played, had fun.

His friends were here. They were here for him.

Aubrey was still talking to them. Hero wasn't busy studying. Kel wasn't focusing all his attention on sports. Basil was happy.

And Mari...

Mari wasn't disappointed in him. She didn't ignore him. She didn't look away. She wasn't angry. She didn't argue. She...

She was nearby.

Mari stood next to him at the stairs. The violin was lying at the very bottom, smashed to pieces, beyond repair. Sunny looked at the floor, listening to his older sister's screams.

"Sunny, are you serious?! Why did you do that? You know we have a concert tomorrow! I... I can't believe it. You just threw it down! You broke it!" Mari's voice grew louder as she waved her arms, on the verge of hysteria.

He knew how important this concert was to her. And yet, he still did it.

He was so selfish.

"Not to mention that it was a gift from all of us! We worked up for it for so long! You're so selfish! What were you thinking? Or- Were you even thinking when you did that?!" There were tears in her eyes now, barely holding back.

He couldn't help but feel guilty. He had felt guilty before, but now it was stronger.

He turned away ashamed and looked at the violin. It really was beyond repair…

The sun came out from behind the earth and it was morning. A new day. Reluctantly, Sunny opened his eyes. Out of habit, turning his head, he saw that Mari was not in the bed, and the bed itself was made and looked, as always, neat and clean.

Most likely, she was already wide awake and busy with her chores, unlike him. What a shame.

Yawning, Sunny rolled over and tried to fall asleep again, but was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. At first, he thought and hoped that someone was in the house and would be able to open the door, but apparently this did not happen.

So, he decided to just ignore the knock, but unfortunately, this did not work either. On the contrary. For some reason, the knock became even louder, slightly increasing Sunny's already starting headache.

With a heavy sigh, he got out of bed, not bothering to change out of his sleep-wrinkled pajamas. Whoever was at the door, he didn't have the strength to do so anyway.

The house was quiet. His father was at work as usual, Mari was at her piano lessons, and his mother... No one knew where. Maybe in another town, tired as usual from arguing with his father and deciding, so to speak, to rest. She often did that.

But that wasn't the main thing now. The main thing was to open the door to the one who began to knock even more insistently.

Opening the door a crack, he immediately heard a loud, clear and familiar voice. The voice of someone he knew. The one he had been having fun with just a couple of minutes ago.

"Hey, Sunny! How many years, how many winters! Let's go for a walk, it's the weekend after all!" He immediately tried to close the door, but leg, stuck in the door, prevented him from doing so. "Come on, it's been so long!" Kel's voice became a little more pleading, as if he actually wanted to spend time with him.

Obviously not. He was already ruining everything. Kel knew that, and most likely just wanted to hang out with him out of pity. After all, Mari had dated Hero, which meant she had also interacted with Kel.

Maybe she told him how pathetic he was. Maybe he already knew Sunny was ruining everything.

Anyway, it was better in the Headspace. He hadn't screwed up there yet.

"Suuunnnyyyy... Come on, come keep your best friend company!" Kel continued to chatter, trying to coax him out. Sunny sighed. Knowing his friend...

(A friend? Did Kel consider him a friend? Probably not.)

...he probably wouldn't leave him alone until he agreed.

"Give me a few minutes." His voice was quiet and slightly hoarse from disuse, but Kel heard it anyway, because immediately his voice became cheerful again, no longer pleading.

"Okay, I'll wait for you!" Sunny finally managed to close the door. After standing there for about 10 seconds, he lazily trudged to the bathroom and with forced interest brushed his teeth and washed his face.

After that, he went back downstairs and went into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator. It was empty. His father rarely ate at home, as did his mother. Most often, Mari left something she had prepared earlier or given from Hero, but apparently this time she forgot about it. Or didn’t want to. Both options were appropriate.

Closing the refrigerator, he decided that he would skip breakfast today. He didn’t want to eat anyway. He had already had a snack in the Headspace.

Belatedly, he remembered that he needed to change out of his pajamas. Sighing for the second time, he went up the stairs again and went into his and Mari’s room. Approaching the closet, he looked down for a few seconds before taking out a white-collared shirt, a black vest, and beige shorts with white socks.

During the time of disuse, his clothes had managed to cover themselves with a light layer of dust. Usually, he just walked around in his pajamas, not going outside sometimes for several weeks, sometimes even up to a month.

Sooner or later, of course, Mari would kick him out into the street so that he could at least freshen up a little. It didn't last long anyway.

Oops, he got distracted again. He had to do something. Something...

Right, Kel. Kel was still waiting for him to come out and walk with him.

He wished it would be over so he could go back to sleep and return to the Headspace.

Sunny went downstairs, put on his black shoes and opened the door. Kel was standing in the yard, bored, kicking the grass. Hearing the sound of the door opening, he turns around. A smile spreads across his face again.

"Sunny, finally! Well, you weren't there for that long, but I was still bored... I still missed you all this time..." Sunny closed the door and followed Kel, wherever he was leading him. "...I was busy with sports, and our group was a little... Um... How should I say it... Broken up...?"

Sunny nodded distractedly. Sure, he didn't go out much or talk to anyone much, but he could guess that. The few times he went to school in the beginning, Aubrey never spoke to him. She looked at him, he saw it. But she never came near him.

(A couple of times, Sunny swore he heard some of her new friends mutter "weirdo," "crazy," "sick." He hoped he was imagining Aubrey's voice.)

"...and Hero is always busy with his studies! He only talks to Mari, and that's because she goes to one of his extracurriculars with him, and they're a couple... And to me, of course! I'm his brother..." Sunny's thoughts become more distracted. What was the point of this walk anyway? He knew Kel didn't care about him anyway.

(He just brings problems. He is the problem. What's the point if he's useless? It would be better if he-)

“...-nny? Sunny?" ...Kel's voice breaks him out of his thoughts. He realizes he's stopped in his tracks, staring at the sidewalk. This was bad. He can't let Kel to worry about him. Why would he worry about some-

"-Sunny, are you okay? If you weren't feeling well, you should have said so! I noticed how pale and thin you are..." What? He noticed? So, it really was that obvious.

A feeling of guilt ran through Sunny. He was fine. He was used to it. Shaking his head, he silently walked forward, urging Kel to do the same. Reluctantly, the boy followed.

The atmosphere had changed. Instead of Kel chatting, there was silence between them. It was awkward. Well, now he had ruined their mood. Just great.

“…Well, why don’t we go to the park? We… We could talk there.” Kel’s smile was back, though it was a little more forced. Sunny just nodded silently and let himself be led again.

“… … … So, what have you been up to all this time?” He asked quietly, fiddling with the hem of his sleeve. He figured it was worth showing at least a little interest in what had been going on with his friends over the past few months.

(Friends? …They clearly didn’t count a disappointment like him as a friend.)

Kel’s smile softened and he began to chat absently again, talking about his basketball practice, how he had tried to improve his math grade, but the teacher refused to give him extra assignments since he, to put it mildly, never did them on time and put them off until the last minute.

It seemed oddly familiar to Sunny. Except he hadn't been going to school for a long time. Not that anyone had noticed. Not even his friends, even though they were in the same school, in the case of Basil and Kel, and in the same class, in the case of Aubrey.

(Of course, no one noticed. Who would need him. That's right, no one.)

"...what about you, Sunny? How do you spend your time?" Sunny joined the conversation just in time to hear the question. He shrugged, lost in thought.

"Stay home. Eat. Sleep. Play sometimes." He answered briefly. It was true. Most of the time, he slept, or lay (or sat) and stared at the wall. Occasionally, he played games on the computer. Sometimes he had a snack, but in the last few months, he stopped feeling hungry and ate more according to "the norm."

(Although this was rare, too. Sometimes he would go for days without eating. Sometimes, his meals would barely reach two times a day. Usually, one.)

"And ...that's it? You... have you ever gone outside?" Sunny looked up and noticed Kel looking at him with a worried expression, examining him, as if analyzing him… It made him squirm uncomfortably. What was he doing? “What about… School?”

He hadn’t noticed. Of course he hadn’t noticed.

Sunny shrugged. “Didn’t.” That was all he said. He was never one for words, and especially not now. Why should he waste his energy on words? It was useless anyway.

Kel seemed shocked by this answer.

"Um... What do you mean didn't go? Like... Ever?" Sunny nodded, and Kel's worried look became even more worried. Why? He's fine.

"Dude... Does Mari know about this? What about your parents?" Sunny frowned unconsciously.

His parents knew. Both the teachers and the principal had called his mother or father a bunch of times. But they didn't care.

And Mari...

Of course, Mari didn't know. She would have been disappointed in him and most likely wouldn't acknowledge him as her brother.

(A worthless piece of shit like him doesn't deserve such a kind sister. He should be grateful she hasn't kicked him out yet.)

Before Sunny could respond, Kel saw Aubrey across the street. She was walking slowly, holding a bat, her black hair tied in two pigtails for convenience. Kel gasped, turned and shouted.

"AUBREY! AUBREY, LOOK AT HERE!" Sunny winced slightly at the volume of his voice. Apparently, it was too much for Aubrey too, because she flinched and almost dropped her bat. She sped up, but that only made Kel look around and, seeing that there were no cars, quickly cross the road.

Sunny had no choice but to follow him.

This day was going to be harder than he thought.

Chapter Text

Kel's day started off just fine! He woke up, stretched, washed up, ate a delicious breakfast prepared by his dear mother, and, after saying goodbye to Hero, who was leaving for extra classes, went to play on the console.

However, he quickly got bored of it. So, he decided to go for a walk. But... Walking alone is boring, right? So why not invite someone from their group, his favorite friends? Sure, the group has broken up a little now, but... It doesn't mean that they abandon each other, right?

...

Of course, it doesn't! They are still friends.

Smiling to himself, Kel put on his favorite sneakers and left the house, heading down the street. His first stop was Sunny's house. His best friend!

He hadn't seen him for a long time, so he... missed him quite a bit. He admitted it. He didn't see him at school, apparently, he went straight home after classes. And lately they all had things to do, and they couldn't spend as much time together as before. This was quite a big minus.

At least he still had Hero. His brother, although he was fully occupied with his studies in order to enter a good university in the future, still found a minute for his brother. It was really nice.

Even though he didn't have his friends with him - of course temporarily, soon they would be the whole group again - his brother was there.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't even notice that he had already approached Sunny's house. His mood instantly became even more joyful. He knocked on the door and waited.

He didn't know if any of the adults were home, but Sunny was definitely there. He couldn't be sleeping at 10 in the morning, could he?

Left without an answer, Kel knocked again impatiently. Judging by the fact that no one had opened the door yet, only Sunny was home.

When after another minute no one opened the door, he began to knock more insistently. Everyone in the area knew that when Kel set his mind to something, he would be stubborn, bite, and scratch, but he would get what he wanted. That was exactly what was happening now.

Finally, the door opened slightly and Kel saw his friend's pale face, his hair was long and tangled, and there were bags under his eyes. It was quite... Worrying. But Kel tried not to show his worry.

"Hey, Sunny! How many years, how many winters! Let's go for a walk, it's the weekend after all!" He said, smiling widely, but instead of Sunny immediately agreeing and opening the door completely, as he expected, he tried to close it. Kel barely managed to stick his foot in before the door closed.

But that wasn't what made him worry, no. It was the fact that Sunny didn't say anything.

It was no secret that Sunny was a quiet guy. However, he never ignored his friends. He might say one word or shake his head or make gestures. But he never closed the door in someone's face.

That was what made Kel worried. Something strange was happening to Sunny, he knew that for sure.

"Come on, it's been so long!" His voice became a little more desperate. The silence oppressed him as he waited for some kind of response from his friend. Maybe he was just being dramatic, but...

Sunny seemed so pale. It was visible even through a small crack.

"Suuunnnyyyy... Come on, come keep your best friend company!" Kel tried again, along with the desperation in his voice, stubbornness was also written, which showed that he was clearly not going to back down so easily.

And finally, his work paid off.

"Give me a few minutes." Sunny's voice was quiet and slightly hoarse, most likely due to lack of use. But it was his voice and his words... So, Kel was happy about this.

"Okay, I'll wait for you!" Joy returned to Kel again, masterfully hiding the previously worried tone. After that, Sunny closed the door and a few seconds later his steps were heard deep into the house.

Gradually, the smile disappeared from Kel's face, and he thought. Thought about Sunny. In those moments when Mari came to Hero, she looked somehow... Upset or something.

At first, Kel thought it was just her schoolwork, or some girly stuff, but now he wondered... What if it had something to with Sunny? He couldn't deny that possibility.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't even immediately notice that a few minutes later the door opened again, this time wider. Tearing himself away from the very interesting kicking of the grass, he looked at Sunny, now seeing him completely.

To put it mildly, he looked... Unhealthy. His skin was pale, like a vampire, and his eyes seemed much darker and duller than before. As if he was no longer alive.

He was so... Small. As if he hadn't grown at all since Kel had last seen him a few months ago. As if he had become smaller.

Kel forced a smile, trying not to show his worry, which had grown even more. It was good that he decided to check on Sunny after all.

Starting to say something to fill the silence, Kel walked towards the park, making sure Sunny followed him. He didn't say anything, but that was okay.

After a while, Kel noticed that he could no longer hear the footsteps behind him. He turned around to see that Sunny had stopped and was just… Looking at the sidewalk? …Well, that was definitely weird and didn’t calm Kel down at all.

"Um… Sunny? Are you okay? You stopped so suddenly…" There was only silence. "Sunny? " More silence. After trying to call out to his friend a few more times, Kel finally managed to do it.

"If you weren’t feeling well, you should have said so! I noticed how pale and thin you are…" Kel couldn’t help but say, worry seeping into his voice. He hoped that Sunny would at least respond in some way, tell him what was bothering him…

But Sunny seemed to have decided otherwise, as he immediately shook his head and continued walking. Not knowing what to say or do, Kel followed him. He was never good at this whole feelings thing or anything… He was used to staying positive no matter what…

Maybe he was just overthinking it and Sunny was okay… Mari was there for him, wasn’t she? She wouldn’t let her little brother feel bad… Kel was sure of it.

So, everything was okay.

"…Well, why don’t we go to the park? We… We could talk there. " Kel tried to push his worries back into his mind as he offered a forced smile. He could tell Sunny saw it, judging by the look in his eyes.

But in response, he just nodded silently and followed Kel.

To be honest, Kel expected the walk to the park to be just as silent, but surprisingly, after a few seconds, Sunny spoke. Kel noticed again that his voice was creaky and even a little broken.

Before he enthusiastically began to tell about what had happened while Sunny was away, thus answering his question, Kel made a mental note that he should buy his friend a drink. And something to eat. God, he really was that tiny and skinny.

After a few minutes, he realized that he should also ask Sunny about what he had been doing. Still, it was interesting what was going on in his friend's head all that time while he was sitting at home.

"What about you, Sunny? How do you spend your time?" He asked with a smile, looking at Sunny.

...His answer was to say the least... Alarming. Was that all Sunny had been doing these days? It was... Clearly not what Kel had expected. Although now it was clear why he looked so rumpled... It seems like he hadn't been going outside at all.

That was exactly the question Kel had asked, and about school. However, the answer he had received made him even more worried. What did it mean that Sunny had stopped going to school? Why hadn't he noticed? Why... Why hadn't Aubrey told him anything? They were in the same class...

Unlike him and Basil, who were in the same school as them, but in a different class, Aubrey was with Sunny. She couldn't help but notice that he had been gone for so long. She had to.

Oops, he must have been staring at his friend too much because Sunny cringed slightly and awkwardly hugged himself.

Gathering his thoughts, Kel asked the question that had been bothering him the entire time they were walking and wouldn't let go.

"Dude... Does Mari know about this? What about your parents?" He saw Sunny frown. That definitely couldn't be a good sign... However, before he could say anything else, he noticed the worry that was slowly turning into panic on Sunny's face.

Oh shit. Oh no. He screwed up. What did he do wrong? He... He just asked if Mari or their parents knew about Sunny's absence. But apparently that was the wrong question.

Kel's eyes darted around frantically, trying to find something to distract Sunny. Shit. Oh shit. There was nothing interesting or worthwhile nearby.

Until Kel noticed... Aubrey! Here was his salvation!

She was walking on the other side of the road, like an angel coming to Kel's aid. Oh, what happiness!

"AUBREY! AUBREY, LOOK AT HERE!" Kel turned around completely and yelled, maybe a little too loudly, as both Sunny and Aubrey flinched. Within a second, Aubrey was speeding up, quickly moving away from Sunny and Kel.

Oh, he must have scared her with his yelling! Maybe she didn't recognize his voice and thought he was some kind of maniac. Hehe, he could tease her about that later.

Looking around and noticing that there were no cars, which was pretty common in a small town like Faraway, Kel quickly ran across the road, making sure Sunny was following him.

Running up to Aubrey with a wide grin, Kel hugged her from behind, throwing his arms around her shoulders.

"Hey, Aubrey! It's been a while! I saw you hanging out with your new friends, hehe! I hope you haven't forgotten about us, your best friends!" Kel teased, ignoring Aubrey's exasperated sigh and the way she pushed him off of her with unnecessary aggression.

That's how Aubrey is, hot-tempered but caring. Kel had felt both sides of her more than once. Although most often the first…

"Kel, go away, I don't want to talk to you." Aubrey muttered with the same amount of aggression, but Kel ignored it in favor of seeing a baseball bat in her hands.

"Ooh, that's a bat? So, you're kind of cool now?" Kel chuckled kindly, clapping his hands. "You know, you should glue nails to the bat for better effect! Or... Or screws!" Kel said excitedly, but that excitement immediately disappeared after he looked at Aubrey's face.

She was... Really unhappy. You could even say... Angry. But Kel couldn't say why, he didn't do anything special, everything was as usual...

"Don't you understand normal words?! I told you to fuck off!" Kel's eyes widened as he saw Aubrey pointing the bat at him, clutching it tightly in her hands, her eyes blazing with pure anger. This was… Something new.

"H-Hey, Aubrey, what's wrong? Are you awake on the wrong side of the bed or something?" Kel smiled awkwardly, trying to lighten the mood between them, but it didn't work. If anything, it seemed to only anger Aubrey more. She swung the bat sharply, and if Kel hadn't had good reflexes, she would have broken his nose by now.

"Are you crazy!? What if you broke my nose?!" Kel took a quick step back and bumped into Sunny, making him realize that he wasn't the only one in danger. ...Although, maybe Sunny's presence would calm her down. They get along well.

"Not to mention Sunny's here! What if you hurt him?" Kel pouted slightly, offended. "What's wrong with you lately?"

The mention of Sunny made Aubrey's eyes widen slightly as she looked past Kel. Sunny was standing awkwardly, huddled, as if trying to make himself look smaller. Kel didn't blame him. He was scared himself by this... Unexpecting action from Aubrey. It was unusual for her.

Aubrey's jaw suddenly gave in - Kel briefly worried that her teeth would crack from the strain - and her eyes narrowed.

"What is that f-freak doing here!? Shouldn't he-" Aubrey swallowed, inhaling angrily. "Should he be rotting in bed!? Why is he here!?"

To say that Kel was stunned was an understatement. Aubrey had never acted like this with her friends before... Especially Sunny! They had their own special bond and he would never have believed it if he had been told that Aubrey could just yell at him like that... And insult him too!

"A-Aubrey…" Kel tried to say, but Aubrey screamed again, clutching the bat. He noticed that her hands were shaking, as was her whole body, and her words were clearly difficult to come by.

"D-Don't say anything! What the hell is he doing here? Did you bring him!? You definitely did!" Aubrey snorted. "Well, you both better leave, especially that w-weirdo before I smash your brains in with the bat!" Aubrey swung the bat, showing all her seriousness.

Kel winced, taking a few hurried steps back, raising his hands in a placating gesture.

"We're leaving, we're leaving! Oh my god, Aubrey, calm down, we didn't even do anything to you, especially Su-" Kel turned his head, but didn't see anyone behind him. "-nny…" He looked around, but didn't see any signs of his friend's presence either. "Sunny? Sunny!" He shouted, looking around frantically. However, there was no answer. Just great.

Turning to Aubrey, he sighed in annoyance. He had just managed to drag Sunny out of the house, hoping to somehow cheer him up and hoping for Aubrey's help, but in the end she had only ruined everything!

"Aubrey, are you serious!? Good job scaring him off, although I had just managed to get him outside! Didn't you see the state he was in!? It was like he wasn't alive, I... I was hoping for your help." In the end, Kel's voice became a little quieter and calmer when he saw Aubrey's scared face.

Looking away for a second, Kel wanted to say something again, but after a second, Aubrey turned around and quickly left, throwing out one last word.

"Don't come near me at school or on the street, f-freaks. I don't want to k-know you anymore." Aubrey's voice was shaking now, and she was stumbling and stuttering slightly. She left, leaving Kel standing in the middle of the sidewalk with a shocked expression on his face.

What... Did that just happen?

Sunny ran quickly down the road, his feet hitting the asphalt as he breathed heavily. Shit, he hadn't run in a long time. Let alone run, he hadn't done any kind of exercise in a long time. He had only run for two minutes, and he was already tired.

But he didn't want to stop. He couldn't. Not when Aubrey's words were still fresh in his mind, stirring the scars that had barely healed.

("Sunny, how could you!? You... You're weirdo! Do you really not value your friends that much?!")

He tripped and fell down, but luckily managed to put his hands out in time and not break his nose. In the end, he only scraped his knees and palms. Unpleasant and painful, but at least his nose wasn't broken.

Sniffing, he rose from his knees and, quietly yelping from the burning pain, looked around. He found himself near Basil's house. Hmm, apparently, he had accidentally run to his house instead of his own...

And, as luck would have it, at that moment Basil came out of the house, carrying a pot of white flowers in his hands. He was wearing his gardening gloves, with his sleeves rolled up. He looked rather tired... Sunny felt a bit awkward. Not only had he not seen Basil for a long time, but he also appeared at him in such a terrible state.

However, as soon as he tried to leave, Basil noticed him and gasped, quickly putting the pot on the ground and running up to him.

"Sunny! You're hurt! What... What happened?" Basil asked sympathetically, walking up to him and gently taking his wrists to examine his raw palms.

Sunny awkwardly remained silent, looking away. Sighing, Basil gently led him into the house, despite his silent protests.

(There you go, now you've distracted your friend from important matters. How selfish you are.)

"We need to clean your wounds so they don't get infected." He muttered, leading Sunny into the bathroom. There he quickly washed first his palms, then knees, muttering something quietly to himself with a frown on his face.

They spent a couple of minutes in silence while Basil cleaned the wounds and applied bandages to his knees and palms.

(In Sunny's opinion, it wasn't that serious for the bandages. He wouldn't have died without them. Basil had just wasted his time and energy.)

"...So, what happened? Judging by the way your knees and arms are scraped, I'm going to assume that you tripped while running and fell... Am I right?" Sunny nodded his head. Shame ran through his body as he met Basil's worried eyes.

"Sunny, you should be more careful... You're lucky I was there." Basil sighed for the umpteenth time, rising to his feet and... Suddenly hugging him. Sunny froze, unsure of what to do or where to put his hands.

(Hug him back, idiot.)

Oh, right. He hesitantly raised his arms and hugged Basil back, lightly clutching his shirt in his hands and burying his face in Basil's chest. It felt... Nice. It had been so long since anyone had hugged him. Or touched him in any way.

Tears began to sting his eyes. Why was he crying? Nothing had happened. No one had died or been hurt. So why was he crying? What was wrong?

What was wrong with him?

"Shhh... It's okay, you can cry if you want. I'm here. I'm with you." Basil's voice was a little distant to him, muffled. His words were the last thing he wanted to hear, because then the dam broke and tears poured down, wetting his friend's shirt.

"I.. I.. S-Sorry.. I.." He tried to say something, but Basil just shushed him, muttering that everything would be okay. Everything would be okay, you would be okay.

A hand stroked his hair, running it through and gently running his fingers through the strands, despite the fact that they were slightly dirty from not washing for so long. Tears continued to fall from Sunny's eyes, despite his attempts to hold them back, quiet sobs and whimpers escaping just as well.

He felt like all the pain he had been honoring all this time was coming out with these tears. Or maybe it was the fact that he had someone there who cared about him.

Someone who was there when he was hurt.

Someone who held him like he was worth something.

Sunny was no longer hiding anything now, sobbing out loud. He just wanted to let it all go. He just wanted to be happy, someday.

He just wanted someone to be there for him.

"It's okay, Sunny, just let it go. I'm here with you." Basil's voice cut through the noise in his ears, echoing in his head. He was here. He was with him.

That was all Sunny needed for more sobbing and tears.

…

Eventually he was exhausted and now he was simply hugging the other, clutching his shirt tightly in his hands. One last sob, and Sunny reluctantly pulled away from the hug, wiping the remaining tears with his sleeve.

"S-Sorry about all that hysteria. I don't know what came over me." Sunny muttered softly, looking at Basil bashfully, but only saw a gentle smile in return. He absentmindedly noted that Basil himself had tears in his eyes, which he wiped away before they could spill.

"It's okay.. Like I said, I'm here for you. I'm glad you trust me enough to cry in front of me... You're always so secretive and mysterious, huh..." Basil chuckled softly, wiping away the last of his tears and helping Sunny stand up from the edge of the bathtub where he had been sitting all this time.

"Well... Now that we've met, would you like to watch me take care of the flowers? I recently bought a new flower." Before Sunny could say anything, he continued. "No, you won't help me. Especially with your hands like that, Mr. Sun." Sunny blushed in embarrassment and just nodded dejectedly.

Following Basil, they went out into the yard, where he put his gloves back on and picked up the flower pot he had placed on the ground earlier, carrying it to the other flowers. It was tiny, apparently only recently opened. But it was beautiful nonetheless.

Basil placed the pot on the ground and knelt down next to it, urging Sunny to do the same.

"I bought this flower a few days ago, at Fix-It." Basil began. "It's called the White Egret Orchid. In the language of flowers, it means..." Basil smiled slightly, stroking the small petals of the flower. "My thoughts will follow you into your dreams."

Sunny looked closely at the flower. It really was shaped like a white egret, hmm. So that's where it's called that.

Looking up, he noticed that Basil was no longer smiling. He was now silently looking at the flower, his eyes holding some kind of... melancholy undertone, perhaps? However, before Sunny could ask, he began speaking again.

"You know, I bought it for Granny. She's getting worse and worse every day. Now she can't even get out of bed without someone's help." He sighed, and it seemed that there was more sadness in that sigh than in the saddest movie. "Polly said that this is probably her last year, if not months. At first I was broken, in denial, angry and screaming, but soon I understood everything, digested it and accepted it." Basil ignored the tears streaming down his cheeks, continuing to speak.

"I want Granny's last days to be happy. So that she doesn't have to think about the fact that she's dying, leaving her only grandson broken and sad. I want her to be happy and see that I can handle it." Basil sobbed, clenching his hands into fists. "I... I bought this flower to put on her grave, and when she saw it and learned the meaning... She was enchanted. Said how beautiful and special it was. And I... I just want her to go away peaceful and happy."

Sunny sat silently, staring at the flower. What was he supposed to say? What was he supposed to do? He had never been in a situation like Basil. He had never felt like him.

But he could imagine what it was like when the only person you cared about most, your family, died and you couldn't do anything about it. You were powerless in the face of death.

So, Sunny closed the distance and silently wrapped his arms around Basil, holding him close, just like he had done before. But this time, the roles were reversed. Basil sobbed, muttering something, wrapping his arms around Sunny's neck and leaning against his shoulder.

Sunny said nothing, just held Basil. But that was okay. That was enough, he knew that. And Basil knew that, too. He knew that despite his silence, Sunny really cared about him and his feelings.

And just as Basil was there for him, he was there for Basil.

"T-Thank you... For listening and letting me cry.. I guess I really needed someone to talk to.." Basil chuckled slightly, wiping away his tears and taking a deep breath to calm himself. A few minutes later, he was much calmer, sitting next to Sunny with a small smile.

"Are you okay?" He asked quietly, looking at the flower.

My thoughts will follow you into your dreams.

"I'm not." Basil replied quietly before continuing. "But I will be eventually. I'll be okay." Sunny nodded, believing him. He always said that and Sunny knew he was right. Basil would be okay. "But... What about you?" He raised his head, looking questioningly at his friend. "Are you okay?"

"Why... Why are you asking that?" Sunny blinked, stunned, not understanding the meaning of the question. Why would Basil ask that so suddenly? Of course he was okay.

"It's just... You looked like you really needed a hug. You were so lost... Like you weren't even here right now." Basil sighed. "And... You were so... Tiny. You've lost a lot of weight. Are you sure you're okay?" Sunny looked away, looking back at the flower.

My thoughts will follow you into your dreams.

He couldn't get the words out. This was the second person that day to notice that he had changed. So… He had really changed, hadn’t he? Even though he didn’t feel it, but… Apparently, others were more perceptive of him than he was of himself.

"You know... If you ever need someone to talk to... Or a place to go if something happens... You can always come to me." Basil smiled, looking into his eyes. "I'm always here, ready to listen to you when you're ready to talk to me. And I'll never push you away, no matter what. I'll be here."

He couldn't understand what he'd done to deserve such a good friend. Basil had been so kind and gentle, always willing to help everyone but himself. Sunny could only nod in response.

Now he knew that someone cared about him. That no matter what, someone would always be there for him.

Sunny glanced at White Egret Orchid as Basil hugged him for the third time that day.

My thoughts will follow you into your dreams.

…

Will anyone's thoughts follow him into his dreams?

Chapter Text

After their rather emotional conversation, filled with many tears, Polly returned from the store to find them sitting on the dirty ground, hugging. Afterwards, she invited Sunny to a late breakfast, saying how thin he had become.

He could only sit down at the table in shame, while Basil laid out the plates and helped his guardian. He did not eat much, but he could not eat more, no matter how pleadingly his best friend looked at him.

Hmm. Apparently, the days of hunger really did affect him somehow, considering that before he ate food by the plateful, practically competing with Kel.

The meal passed very peacefully, the dining room where they ate was filled with jokes and laughter, as well as conversations. It was like he was back in time a few years, before his parents started fighting and Mari was so obsessed with being so perfect.

Mari… Any thought of his sister made him feel sad, like he had lost her, even though he hadn’t. She was still here.

(But not with him. Not for him.)

He was just being dramatic.

"Leaving already?" Polly asked as he put on his shoes. He nodded, and Polly just sighed. "Oh, Sunny, you’ve lost so much weight since the last time we saw each other… Just skin and bones! Do you have anything to eat at home? " A few seconds passed before he shook his head. "Nothing at all?" She frowned. Another head shake.

Polly's eyes widened and she gasped, rushing into the kitchen.

"Oh, how awful! Now I understand! Oh, my God, the poor child..." Sunny blushed slightly at her words and actions, as a few seconds later a paper bag containing pastries and some fruit was thrust into his hands. "Here, take these. I bought them this morning."

"But..." He tried to object.

"No buts, Sunny! You heard Polly, and I agree with her. You should eat more." Basil intervened, his voice both concerned and teasing. Traitor.

He narrowed his eyes, but realizing that he could not hold his own against these two, he sighed and gave in shamefully.

"Okay..." Sunny muttered, waving at Basil, who waved back, before heading out of the house. The weight of the paper bag in his hands was both a curse and a blessing.

He only made it a few meters before someone bumped into him. He would have fallen if they hadn't held him in their arms.

"Sunny!" Oh, that was Kel. Now that Sunny thought about it, maybe he shouldn't have run away so abruptly... "I was so worried about you! Why did you run away!? I searched the whole town!"

(God, he was such an idiot. Not only did he make his friend worry so much, he also wasted his time.)

"I'm fine... I met Basil, we got to talking." He decided to leave out some details, like his slightly red eyes and face swollen from crying, as well as the wounds on his hands and knees.

"Hmm.. I see! What's this bag?" Kel looked at the bag he was holding, but something else caught his attention, causing him to gasp and grab Sunny's wrist abruptly, pulling his arm towards him. "And why do you have bandages on your hands and feet? Are you hurt? Should I beat someone up?!" Kel's voice became more agitated, as if he was excited at the idea of ​​fighting someone...

And apparently, he couldn't hide the presence of his wounds.

"I fell while running from..." Sunny paused for a moment. Aubrey's unpleasant words came back to him. Weirdo, idiot, freak. "Scratched." He simply said.

Kel suddenly frowned, holding his hand more gently this time. He hesitated slightly, as if trying to find the right words.

For some reason, Sunny already knew what he was going to say.

("Are you that stupid that you can't even remember the notes properly run for a few minutes without tripping?")

"-I'm sorry that Aubrey did that... Well, I know I shouldn't apologize, but apparently, she's not going to!" ...What? What was he talking about? Sunny raised his head in disbelief, looking into Kel's worried eyes, who was trying to hide his concern with a carefree smile.

"I'm sure she didn't mean it like that! Well... You know Aubrey, she can be short-tempered... Maybe- Maybe she's in a bad mood today!" Sunny could only nod. He didn't have the energy to argue with Kel, claiming that it was all his fault, that he was freak, that he couldn't do anything right...

"See, everything's fine! Chin up!" His expression didn't change, but Kel didn't pay attention. "Now, you better tell me what's in the bag, because I can smell something delicious already!" Sunny was glad that Kel was back to his old self, or at least hiding his worry well. He didn't think he could handle his pity now.

(He didn't deserve it. Not after he ruined everything.)

"Polly gave food. Buns and fruit. Said I was skinny and needed to eat more..." He said calmly, handing the bag over to Kel to look at. To be honest, he didn't want to take the food at all, he was already a burden... Someone more useful than him could have gotten it.

Someone...

Someone standing in front of him…! Sunny’s eyes lit up as a brilliant idea came to him. Kel was practically devouring the contents of the bag with his eyes. He was always hungry. It was as if his stomach was a black hole. Something about a fast metabolism or something… Sunny dozed off during that biology class and didn’t really pay attention to what the teacher was saying.

And that also meant that Kel never refused the food offered to him. He sucked it in like a bottomless pit. It was these facts that gave Sunny the idea…

"You can have it all if you want. Not hungry and will eat later at home." Technically, he wasn’t lying. He really wasn’t hungry, since he’d already eaten his fill at Basil’s. And even more so… He didn’t say when he was going to eat. He just said he’d eat later…

Seeing Kel’s eyes light up, he knew he’d taken the bait. Perfect. Now he didn't have to eat this food. To be honest, he himself didn't understand why he didn't want to eat it so much. It was just... The very thought of food made him feel repulsed. He couldn't deny the fact that it was delicious, of course. But...

("Well, finally you came, little brother! We've been waiting for you for so long! Come sit down, I made your favorite cookies.~")

…The food used to taste better, more filling… Like… It used to be made with love. Now it was like it wasn’t, like… He’d lost that privilege.

(That was the reason the Headspace had been created.)

He was pulled out of his thoughts just as Kel thrust the bag back into his hands, looking determined. What? What was going on? Hadn’t he… been planning on taking it? Or… had he wanted Sunny to carry it for him? It was fair payment for making him run around town, after all…

“No. I won’t.” If Sunny had had water, he would have choked on it and then spat right in Kel’s face.

“…What?” He said instead, looking at him with only slightly wide eyes. It was unthinkable, unheard of, for Kel to refuse food. Was it really him? “I insist.” Maybe he needed a push? "I can't eat it all myself anyway. It'll go bad."

Kel looked at him with a strange look. He didn't like it, not at all. Frowning slightly, he opened his mouth to say something, but Kel beat him to it.

"Sunny, there are two small buns and an apple and banana. Are you serious right now?" Kel's voice was surprisingly serious, causing him to freeze. However, after a few seconds, Kel must have noticed his reaction and forced a smile back on his face. "I- I mean- Well, why don't we.. Um.. Compromise?!"

"... Compromise?" Sunny asked, raising an eyebrow, slightly interested. Kel immediately nodded furiously.

"Let's have a picnic! Sure, it won't be like a picnic with Mari and the rest of our group, but... At least we can try..." Sunny blinked slowly.

Picnic… Picnic… Picnic…

("What are you thinking? Are you even here, Sunny?" He looked up from the window overlooking their tree house.

"Maybe we should have a picnic this weekend-" He smiled slightly, but it quickly faded when he heard her words.

"You're seriously thinking about a picnic, right now?! While we're practicing?! Oh, my God, you're..." She took a deep breath. "Please, focus. You can't screw up again, where you did it, or I'll get really mad!"

He nodded and picked up the violin again. It was dead weight to him.)

"Sunny...?" Kel's voice once again brought him out of his thoughts. "Are you okay? You were just staring at something for a minute or so..." He looked up.

"Are you sure you don't just want to get some food?" Sunny asked quietly, almost whispering, but Kel heard it anyway. He nodded firmly in response, grabbing his friend by the wrist and starting to lead him towards the park.

"I'm sure! Now let's hurry up and get to our secret place!" He could only wonder where Kel had gotten so enthusiastic. But either way, he didn't have much of a choice and had to follow his friend.

…

The walk to the park was short and mostly filled with Kel's chatter. It was... Good. It felt like Sunny was back in the old days, when he and Kel (or sometimes Basil or Aubrey) would go to their secret place after school, just relaxing and soaking up the sun.

Although after the near drowning in the lake when he was 11, Mari had become overly anxious… He didn’t understand all the fuss.

(Of course, he was still terrified of swimming, but that didn’t mean anything.)

He always liked the secret place. It was quiet, and no one knew about it, because it was… Well… Secret. He could spend hours here, just lying on his back and enjoying the soft singing of the birds… It was so… Peaceful and calm.

"Well, here we are!” Kel said excitedly, settling down on the grass and placing the bag next to him. "Of course, we don’t have a blanket, like Mari does, but… It means it’s more fun! Imagine that we are adventurers, wandering into the dense forest, getting ourselves some food, and now we are sitting around the fire, eating it…"

"But there is no fire. And we didn't get this food. It was given to us." Sunny muttered in confusion, earning an amused snort from Kel.

"Imagination, Sunny!" He lay back, breathing deeply. "Imagination!"

…Sunny knew enough about imagination.

Aubrey walked quickly on her way to Othermart. This day was supposed to be peaceful and calm, but no, Kel was going to ruin it…

She angrily wiped away her tears, mentally scolding herself for crying over something so stupid. She just… She was so ashamed in front of Sunny and Kel. But most of all in front of Sunny.

She noticed him, they even made eye contact, but… She still said such a horrible thing to him! How could she do such a thing to Sunny of all people?! He was literally a dandelion, and…

…Kel was right. Sunny looked so sick.. And she yelled and scared him away! But… She didn’t mean to, honestly… Aubrey sniffled, her sleeve already wet with tears, but she chose to ignore it.

A storm of emotions was mixing in her chest. And anger, and rage, and fury, and... Fear, pain, sadness. She didn't want to hurt her friends, but... She had to. Her new friends taught her that you need to be merciless to those who are weaker, who cannot fight back. Otherwise, you will become weak.

And she did not want to become weak.

She saw what happened to her mother. What weakness had turned her into, what alcohol had turned her into. And it scared her. She didn't want to be like her mother. Just thinking about it made new tears form in her eyes.

Her new friends were strong, and she was going to be like them. But they made it clear that if she continued to be soft: having cute picnics with her friends, making wreaths, taking photos, and tending to flowers - …she would become a nobody.

A laughing stock.

And she believed them. How could they lie when they themselves had become so strong, although their life situation was the same as hers? But at the same time, Aubrey was overcome with doubt... After all, everything was fine before. She didn't even cry that often! And now...

Every time she sees her friends- former friends, she remembers the words of her new friends.

"They're just a bunch of weaklings and idiots. One of them looks like a woman, always walking around talking about his flowers and photos. Is he even a guy or what?" Not true. Basil was the most sensitive and kind person.

"Yeah, and that active one, like a fool! I bet he's really dumb!" No. Kel could be too happy and active, but he tried his best.

"And that one, what's his name... I can't remember his name, but the one who always walks around without emotions. What a weirdo. His sister's bad luck. He's a complete moral freak." No! Sunny wasn't a freak! He wasn't a weirdo! He... He was kind, responsible and loving... He always supported Aubrey when she was having a hard time... He was always ready to listen...

...

He always supported her, and in the end, she became the one who whispers such words in the hallways. More tears fell from Aubrey's eyes as she turned and ran home, sobbing. She didn't want to face anyone now. Not now. She couldn't… She couldn't show weakness and… She didn't want to remember what she'd said.

Running into the house, she avoided the beer bottles scattered on the floor and ignored her mother watching the TV at full volume. She quickly ran, climbing into the attic, or rather her room.

Sobbing, she fell onto her bed and hugged her pillow, holding it close. Not knowing how else to release her emotions, she clutched it tighter in her arms, the room filling with muffled roars as she let out all the pent-up stress.

Her new friends told her that she was different. That she wouldn't be so weak if she tried harder. And she believed them because-

Because they were there.

When they weren't. She felt so... Alone. Like she was all by herself in this world, and no one could help her. No one cared, they didn't care about her.

When she was down, she was alone. When she cried, she was alone. Even now, she was alone.

When her father left, she was alone. No one was there for her.

Anger overwhelmed her when she realized that they weren't really her friends. Yes, they could help her before, support her, but... When she needed them, where were they? Why weren't they there for her?

She knew that they were busy, each busy with their own things. But that's what made her angry. How could they continue to do anything if she was in pain. Didn't they see that?! Didn't they see how she was suffering?!

Of course not. After all, they weren't there.

She was ready to throw the past away, at that moment, she was sure. She would become a better version of herself. She would be strong so that people wouldn't leave again. Not leave, like her old friends. Not leave, like her father, leaving her alone with her alcoholic mother.

He said he cared about her; they all did. But it was a lie. And she was glad her new friends had helped her see it. She wouldn't make those mistakes again.

The sadness she felt from yelling at and nearly hitting her old friends was gone, because they deserved it. They abandoned her. Especially him. The one who had supported her before just ran away like a coward.

She wouldn't regret her words or actions anymore. She would be tough and ruthless.

The old Aubrey was gone. The Aubrey who had been their friend was gone too.

A new, better Aubrey had taken her place.

And she was going to make sure everyone knew it.

Chapter Text

Mari had started to notice that lately – well, not lately, but for months now… – she had been very, very busy. Of course, she had been busy before; piano lessons and school had taken up a lot of her energy and strength. But she had managed.

This year, however, it had only gotten harder.

It seemed like so much more was expected of her just because she had grown out of her teenage years and become a “young lady,” as her father liked to call her. Something about how she should now be more responsible. More diligent. More mature.

The lessons had gotten longer as the days went by, her father insisting on extras ones, even though her grades were already excellent. He was never satisfied enough.

So now she had no time to even hang out with her friends. She missed picnics and hanging out in their tree house in their backyard or their secret place.

Even the time she spent with her little brother was reduced several times. Some days she would stay up so late that she would come home at night when he was sweetly asleep in bed, and she would get up so early that it wasn't even time for her to wake him up.

Guilt and regret filled her body when she saw how much her friends missed her, especially Sunny. Her poor little brother, so upset that he barely spent time with his older sister. It was truly heartbreaking to see.

Around the same time, Sunny began to take an interest in a small, childish violin that had been gathering dust in their closet until then. Yes, it didn't sound very good and the sound barely changed when the strings was pressed, and the body was flimsy and definitely not wooden but plastic, the strings were made of very low-quality materials, but it was still a violin.

It was adorable, how he sat next to Marie and tried to play something on that little violin while she played the piano. However, the violin soon broke, which was to be expected, and became unusable.

The broken look on her little brother's face when he realized that there was nothing between them anymore broke her heart. He became depressed again, clutching at her at every opportunity.

Then Mari proposed something special to all her friends: save up money for a real, good violin that Sunny could play and that would sound really good.

That's why, when he got a violin for Christmas, after months of hard work, Mari decided to play the piece she was going to play at the recital alone, together with Sunny. It should have been a great solution: they could spend more time together and at the same time Sunny learned to play the violin much faster than before!

But it shouldn't.

In the end, it all turned into... Some kind of pursuit of the ideal, a beautiful performance that a 12-year-old boy who had only been playing the violin for a couple of months definitely couldn't play. But, intoxicated by the thought of the perfect duet, she did not notice his struggle and suffering. The gentle admonitions turned into stern reprimands, and then into broken screams about how "he's not trying" or that "he doesn't care about this recital at all."

Looking back, Marie felt ashamed and disappointed in herself. How could she even say that to her younger brother, who was trying so hard to live up to her stupid ideals. Of course, he couldn't play as well, considering that he had only been practicing for a few months, and she had been practicing for several years.

But at that time, any rational thoughts disappeared from her head. The pressure from her father, the constant extra lessons, the impending concert... All this weighed on her, day after day her patience was cracking, she turned all her problems into screaming, and not just screaming, but screaming at her younger brother.

For a while, it helped. Her patience was at its limit, but she managed. There was only a little time left, they would play perfectly at the recital and then she would finally calm down, getting rid of one of her problems. She would apologize to Sunny for all the yelling and strictness and everything would finally fall into place.

However, on the day of the recital, the very day when this problem was supposed to go away, something happened. That morning, she was getting ready: she put on a beautiful, white dress, did her hair, put on light makeup. It was supposed to be a special day for her and her friends, everyone was ready to come and support her and Sunny.

At one point, she was standing in front of the mirror in their bedroom, admiring herself, when she heard a loud crash behind the door. It scared her and she left the room. Seeing Sunny standing at the top of the stairs, she became worried and went to see what was wrong. However, she was distracted by the sight of the violin lying at the very end of the stairs, broken.

A whole bunch of emotions exploded inside her at that moment. Pain and hurt that now the recital she had been preparing for so hard would not take place. Disappointment that the gift they had saved up for so long was ruined. And…

Anger.

All the tension that had been building up inside her for months was suddenly released when she looked at her little brother's face and saw a strange relief. She didn't even realize when she started screaming and waving her arms.

She doesn't even remember what she screaming, she just remembers Sunny's confused, then scared face, how he tried to say something, but she interrupted, screaming back louder than she had screamed before.

At that moment, she simply poured out everything that had accumulated over these long months. All this tension, pressure, the expected perfection from her, from other people. All this came out in her screams and insults.

This day really did fulfill its purpose.

One of the problems did go away.

However, a new one came to replace it. A more serious one.

When she realized that she had crossed the line, it was too late. Sunny was already shaking, frozen in place, silent tears streaming down his cheeks, which he tried to hide by lowering his head. While many kids his age cried loudly and sobbingly, he always, since childhood, cried quietly, as if he did not want anyone to hear him.

She tried to say something, but her throat seemed to have tightened and she couldn't squeeze out any more words, although a second before she had been screaming at him freely. How ironic.

She couldn't stop him when, still crying quietly, he ran into the bathroom and locked himself in. She seemed to be frozen in place, like a stone, unable to do anything. Only now did she notice that her cheeks were suspiciously wet, and her vision was slightly blurry.

She wanted to follow him, to tell him that she hadn't meant any of it, that she had simply been angry and hadn't thought about what she was saying. But her body wouldn't obey her, and her throat kept constricting. Everything was so suffocating, especially when she turned her head and saw the very violin that had caused all of this.

It was still lying at the bottom of the stairs, broken.

A wave of anger washed over her, along with bitterness. She went down, careful not to fall, since her legs were for some reason too shaky to walk normally. With each step she got closer to the shards. It felt like those same shards were digging into her neck, preventing her from breathing calmly.

Of course, this wasn't really happening, but when she finally got down and knelt down next to the shards, the realization of everything that was happening suddenly came to her. She inhaled sharply, the air seemed to be knocked out of her body and it felt like a rope was being dug into her neck.

It was a bright, bitter feeling.

The events that followed were blurry to her, as if she didn't want to remember them. She vaguely remembered her parents asking her what had happened and why she was crying, why the violin was broken, where Sunny was. In a voice that was breaking from hysteria and screaming earlier, she was saying something to them, gradually becoming louder and more upset.

Even though she didn't remember her words, she remembered exactly how she felt at that moment. Anger was first. Frustration was second. Helplessness was third. And only at the very end was worry. Worry for her brother, who was now sitting in the bathroom and most likely sobbing. Worry for what she had said to him. Worry for how her parents would react.

Although no, she already guessed how they would react and it was confirmed when the father made Sunny unlock the door and shouted at him loudly for the next half hour, eventually punishing him for a whole month.

Her mother was completely broken and cried. At first she tried to somehow protect Sunny, tried to tell her husband to be softer, but in the end she just shut up and began to pick up the pieces of the violin, occasionally sobbing and muttering something under her breath.

It was all too much for her. Being home right now was… Suffocating. She didn’t want to hear it. The ringing in her ears didn’t drown out the loud screams of her father.

That’s why she ran away from home, not wanting to be there anymore.

Her feet led her to Hero and Kel’s house on their own, and she knocked on the door without hesitation. She knew that Hero would be able to comfort her and understand her like no one else.

After all, he tried to be perfect all the time too, and he didn’t tolerate deviations.

However…

He never yelled at his brother, never insulted him, never made him play the violin until wounds-

God, what a dumb she had been all these months, not noticing her own brother’s suffering. Why did she even think this recital would be a good idea.

More tears rolled down her cheeks when Hero finally opened the door. His excited face immediately changed to a worried one.

"Mari? What happened? Are you okay?" She shook her head, letting out a sob instead of the words she wanted to say. Hero didn't wait and immediately pulled her into the house, leading her to his room and ignoring mother's worried questions, answering with a simple "Later!"

As soon as the door closed, the dam immediately broke, and she began to sob, clinging to Hero's chest. For some reason, Kel was not in the house, but most likely he was on the basketball court in the park. Well, in any case, it was to her advantage. It would be embarrassing if her friend saw her in such a state.

"Mari... What happened?" Hero asked quietly in his gentle voice, stroking her slightly tousled hair, which was still perfectly styled in the morning.

"I... Hero, I..." She could not squeeze out a word, anxiously gasping for air. Her lungs were compressed, there was not enough oxygen and she felt like she was suffocating, drowning under water. "I'm terrible..."

Hero visibly perked up at her words, immediately starting to assure her that she aren't like that, that she wasn't like that at all. He asked her what she was even talking about and why she thought that, but all Mari heard was her brother's quiet sobs.

Why. Why him.

"Mari, breathe with me. Come on, repeat after me, you need to breathe." She heard through the ringing and sobbing. Hero began to exaggerate his breathing, and if she hadn't been hysterical, she would have probably giggled at his concentrated face.

She breathed in and out with him. It was a little blurry and unsteady at first, but it got better and better. She was still crying, but she wasn't out of breath anymore, which was probably a good sign. Hero had always been good at calming people down, always knew what to say or do.

They sat in silence, broken only by soft sobs, for a few more minutes before Hero spoke. Mari already knew what he was going to ask.

"Mari... Are you okay? What happened?" He pulled away from her slightly, now holding her hands, looking into her eyes. His gaze was so understanding and warm. Mari had opened her mouth to say something, to tell everything from the beginning, before she froze.

Would he look at her the same way when he knew the truth? Would he cherish and love her the same way when he knew what a monster she was? How would he react to learning that she had insulted her own brother and treated him so cruelly?

She felt hot and cold, panic rising again, with renewed vigor. Would he insult her? Would he be horrified, call her crazy and push her away, or not?

What if he told the others and everyone looked at her differently? They would find out that she was not the perfect older sister figure they had thought she was all this time. They would be disappointed in her.

What if…

What if Hero left her? And Kel, Aubrey, Basil- Sunny. What if everyone abandoned her now that they knew she wasn't always kind and good?

That was her biggest fear. The one that could make her fall to her knees and beg for it not to happen.

She had always been afraid of being imperfect in the eyes of others, of ruining her white and innocent reputation. However, what she was most afraid of was being imperfect in the eyes of her friends. They would leave immediately if they saw or heard it.

That was why she couldn't get a word out now. It was so easy to say "I was mean to Sunny while we were practicing, he threw the violin down the stairs and I yelled at him", but it was much, much more difficult. It was like someone was cutting her vocal cords, mercilessly.

Hero was trying to call out to her, she vaguely heard it, but all she felt was fear, eating her to the marrow, sucking out her soul and leaving nothing sacred.

It was the fear that always made her do rash things, but there were few of them in her life. She always carefully considered every action or word. She must, no, had to be perfect in the eyes of others.

It was the fear that made her open her mouth and say just 6 words.

"Sunny broke the violin on purpose."

It was the fear that made her make the worst mistake of her life. She was sure that it would haunt her for the rest of her life now, looking into Hero's shocked eyes.

She really was a monster.

Because words couldn't be taken back. She made two mistakes in one day because of that.

...

She made a third mistake that same day, in the evening, when they asked why there would be no recital and why she was so sad. Hero awkwardly looked away, hugging her shoulder.

Fear made her open her mouth and say those 6 words again.

"Sunny broke the violin on purpose."

One day, someone suspiciously familiar told her that her perfectionism would ruin her. She just laughed at his words and ruffled his hair.

"Don't worry, little brother." She said. "I'll be fine."

He was right.

For the first time in her life, she was glad that she had so many extra classes. She didn't want to come home anymore. The atmosphere was awkward. It was like burnt toast: on the one hand, you could eat it if you had no choice, but on the other hand, it was still unpleasant and left a bitter taste inside.

That's how it felt to come home now. She was so awkward around Sunny that she tried to run away at the first opportunity.

She was even ashamed to remember how embarrassing it had been the first few days when they all ate lunch together. Silence filled the dining room, only the clank of forks or spoons on plates made it clear that someone was actually there.

After a week, she began preparing containers for herself in the morning and eating lunch in the school library.

She didn't want to admit it, but yes, she did avoid him.

It was just... The very thought of talking to him about all this made her panic. How would it go? Would she be forgiven or would he be mad at her? Was it too late?

She just couldn't. It was too early, she still hadn't collected her thoughts and figured out what to say, how to say it, and where to say it. She promised herself that as soon as she was ready, she would talk to him right away. It was important, she knew it!

First a week passed. She still wasn't ready. The week turned into two, then into a month, and that month turned into several more.

Spring came. The recital was supposed to be at the end of October. She still wasn't ready. She didn't know if she would ever be ready.

She had already begun to get used to doing her homework in the library, and studying at Gino's on weekends, just so she wouldn't have to come home. She began waking up even earlier, in case Sunny decided to catch her in the morning, and she came home closer to midnight, afraid that he would be waiting for her at the door.

It was really pathetic. She knew she was running from her own problems, but she couldn't help it. She was afraid. Afraid of how it would go, and how Sunny would react. Afraid of this very conversation.

She knew she had already behaved terribly and had come off as the worst in front of him, but... She was probably afraid, to some extent, that she would make things worse, or that she would fall even lower in his eyes.

She was afraid.

And it was still fear that made her do rash things.

Mari was walking from her extra piano lessons. She was thinking about what she was going to make for dinner, since their mother was out of town again, and their father probably wouldn't be home until midnight, if at all. But in reality, all she could think about was one little boy, with black hair and dark brown eyes that were almost as black.

Sunny. Her little brother. Her little sunshine.

She was worried about him. She really was. There was something… something wrong. Even though she was gone, she knew something was wrong. Like how sometimes the food she made in the morning wasn't eaten by the end of the day. Or how she came home one day at lunch to pick up something really quickly, and he was already asleep, looking like he hadn't even gotten out of bed that morning.

There was some sixth sense that warned her deep down that something was wrong with Sunny. That it was serious, and she couldn't ignore it like she had been doing for months. Her chest tightened at the thought of talking to him, but it tightened even more at the thought of him being not okay.

She knew she wasn't the perfect big sister. She realized that the day she stopped being one.

However, she still worried about Sunny as much as she had a few months ago, and she still cared about him. It was a promise she had made 12 years ago when she first saw him. She swore that she would protect him, small and wrinkled, like a troll.

She wished she hadn't broken that promise. But she also knew that it wasn't always up to us. Sometimes... Sometimes it was just a coincidence, the wrong time, the wrong place, the wrong words or actions-

At times like these, Hero's advice really helped her. He always knew what to say, and that was another thing she loved about him. He was the one who helped everyone, like a real hero.

When she was a child, when she didn't know what to say or how to act, she always turned to him. With an uncharacteristic seriousness for an average child, he always answered her after a little thought. He was practically her salvation.

She wasn't even surprised when she realized that she was in love with him. She just always felt that it was right. She and Hero were that perfect couple that everyone usually praises.

"A match made in heaven!" That's how Basil once described them in one of the photos. It was really sweet, and she couldn't even dream of more, Hero was the perfect boyfriend. And she was his perfect girlfriend.

It's ironic, but he was the one who started talking about how they don't need to be perfect. In fact, it was hypocrisy when she agreed with him and she knew it. She just realized it too late.

And now that she was at a dead end and anxiety was eating away at her insides, she realized that she was going to the only person she could talk to heart to heart. Stopping in front of a familiar door, she knocked and waited. A few seconds later, the door opened.

"Mari!" Hero hugged her even before she could say anything. A gentle smile spread across her face as she stroked his hair.

"Hello, Hero. Long time no see. Did you miss me?" Her voice couldn't help but be teasing, considering that they had seen each other a few days ago. However, she had to admit, she missed Hero and his hugs too.

He just muttered something under his breath, blushing slightly and breaking the hug to cover his face with his hands. This action couldn't help but make her giggle. No matter how long they'd been dating, he still got embarrassed at the slightest hint of flirting. It was cute.

"So... You wanted something, didn't you?" He said after returned to normal. "At this time, you're usually busy with studying and all..." She sighed.

"You really know me well..." She smiled sadly. "Yeah, I do need help. It's... It's about Sunny and I'm worried about him." She could see Hero's smile flicker before her eyes and turn into a worried expression. He was always like this, caring and worrying about all the "kids" in their friend group.

"What's wrong with him? Is he okay?" ...It was this question that really stumped Mari. Because... She didn't know. She didn't know not because he was hiding it, but because she wasn't interested...

Hero must have noticed her tension, because he immediately invited her into the house.

"Kel went out for a walk and most likely won't be back soon, and Mom and Dad aren't home either, so you can calmly tell me everything." He said, entering the kitchen and starting to pour tea into the mugs, Mari's favorite. This small gesture made a warmth spread in her chest, even better than the tea.

Soon he sat down at the table opposite her and waited for her to start talking. At this point, she should probably tell all the disturbing facts she noticed or the fact that she hadn't talked to Sunny for several months and hadn't even been in the house with him much.

Maybe she should have complained again about her absent mother, who had already suffered enough, or about her father, who didn't value her efforts. But none of that mattered now. She knew that wasn't the point.

Sure, the consequences had weight for her and for Sunny, but that wasn't the point now. It was what started it all. What triggered it.

And she knew what it was. Her perfectionism, her anger, her fear, her inflated ideals... But the main thing that had sown that seed... It was her lie.

She had lied to others to maintain her perfect image in the eyes of others. She had lied to her boyfriend, even though she knew that he, more than anyone, would understand her desire to be perfect in everything and help her solve her mistakes.

She had sown all of that, and in the end, it had resulted in what she had now. When she thought about it more deeply than she had before, she realized that she had actually been as absent from Sunny's life in the last months as her parents had been.

The realization was terrifying, and it almost made her shudder. She had promised herself that she would never be like her father, demanding. Or like her mother, absent. But in the end, that was what she had become. She had also demanded that Sunny play the violin perfectly. She had been absent from his life, too.

She lied and made him stand there and nod along while the room was filled with her friends' upset exclamations and questions about why he had broken his violin. She said nothing about how she had treated him all this time, and he remained silent, used to enduring.

The only way he had come up with to protest had ended up with her embarrassing and humiliating him in front of the entire group, and he had said nothing, finally letting go of her hand. She could feel her heart pounding in that moment, the fear rushing through her veins faster than the fastest train in the world. She had barely heard anything she said.

And yet he had said nothing, made no excuses or corrected her. He had silently accepted everything and nodded. She had told him that their friends would forgive him. And they had.

But she knew that they had only forgiven him. Not her. Because they didn't even know what she had done. Because she had lied like a coward and made her brother the only one to blame. It was so terribly wrong and the guilt ate her up every time she thought about it.

Had she really sunk so low just for a stupid recital?

And the least she could do now was tell the others the truth about what had happened. The truth that she was guilty too. The truth that she had provoked him into this terrible, but justifiable act.

But the fear was still there, she was still afraid. She knew that if she tried to tell everyone at once, that if she gathered everyone and opened her mouth, nothing would come of it. She wouldn't be able to say a word.

Then Sunny would be even more disappointed in her. She, who wanted to make things better, would only make things worse. And she couldn't bear the thought of that. She couldn't even think about what would happen.

But this time, she wanted to make things right. And so, she decided… She needed to move towards the truth. She might not tell the truth right away, but she would take small steps towards the truth. She would take small steps and the last step would be to let everyone know the truth.

She was determined. She wasn’t used to being the one to back down. She had already been procrastinating for too long. A couple of months was too long for someone like her. That’s why she sighed, and, wrapping her hands around the hot mug of tea, she opened her mouth.

"I have to tell you something."

She knew there was no turning back.

But at this moment, she was ready to take this small step.

Walking down the street with a slight smile, Mari ignored the dried tears on her cheeks. They had had a rather… emotional conversation, but now, at least, she felt better. Talking to Hero always helped her, as did his advice.

Entering the house, Mari was surprised by the silence in it. Was her brother sleeping? But it was only lunch…

"Sunny!" She shouted, putting the box with a piece of homemade cake that Hero gave her especially for Sunny on the table. After going around the house, she did not find him anywhere, and for a moment this made her worry. Where could he be?

She was starting to get worried, but suddenly she remembered Hero's words about Kel going out for a walk and a gentle smile appeared on her face.

Kel was the one who first rushed to hug Sunny and the one who first forgave him, so it was logical that her little brother would be walking with him now. She was sincerely glad that their friends were so good. Most likely, one of the other kids was with them now. Maybe Aubrey.

Having put a piece of cake in the refrigerator, she went into the other room and sat down at the piano. The curtains were open, so the light freely poured in from the window, the sun warmed her cheeks.

Maybe... She thought. I could have waited with the conversation with Sunny... After all, I need to collect my thoughts until the end... And even more so... She added to herself in her thoughts. It seems that Sunny is completely fine and I'm just worrying for nothing.

She grinned. Well, that was another one of her minuses... She was always so worried about her younger brother, even though she understood that he was gradually growing up, and now she didn’t need to keep an eye on him.

Yes. She thought again. I don't want to change things. Let him stay as happy as he is now...

I'll talk to him later. I just have to wait for the right moment. She assured herself.

This time I made the right choice. She was sure. This time I didn't make a mistake. She thought, her fingers fell into a familiar position and the first note sounded.

I'm ready. But he's happy anyway, so I don't have to have this conversation. A sickeningly familiar waltz began to sound.

Chapter Text

Sunny was really tired. He and Kel had spent the whole day together, having fun in their secret place. Although, to be honest, he spent most of it just relaxing on the blanket Mari had left. After so much time locked up at home, and with everything that had happened earlier, he had no energy at all. Although Kel seemed to be doing a great job of filling Sunny's lack of enthusiasm with his own.

It was all so nice... Just lying there and listening to his friend's excited chatter. Although, as mentioned earlier, Sunny got tired pretty quickly. He wanted to sleep again, since he was used to sleeping at the same time at home. Maybe it was a little unhealthy, but who was to tell him? That's right, no one.

Well, maybe Kel, who poked him with a stick every time he closed his eyes and started to doze off. At first, he tried to ignore the annoying poking, but in the end, Kel got his way.

After that, they went to play tag, despite his half-hearted protests. Unsurprisingly, Sunny could barely catch up to Kel, while Kel himself caught up to him in just a couple of seconds. Luckily, the game didn't last that long, as after a couple of minutes, he was exhausted and fell to the grass, curled up.

That's when Kel remembered something. Specifically, the food Polly had given them. His eyes lit up and he scooped Sunny up in his arms - it was amazing how strong Kel was to be able to lift him so easily - and carried him to the blanket.

Sunny's inevitable death ensued, as he didn't want to eat, but he knew that arguing with Kel was a failure from the start. Maybe he could talk him into feeding him everything while he was distracted? That was really smart.

Unfortunately, however, his genius plan didn't work, and Kel forced him to eat anyway, threatening to hand feed him if he resisted. So, not wanting to be in such an embarrassing situation, Sunny reluctantly began to eat. And to be honest, it was actually pretty good. The fruit was juicy, and the bun was soft and fluffy.

(He didn't deserve all this food. Why couldn't he just not eat?)

"Sunny, let's go, I'll buy you the best drink ever invented on this earth, Orange Joe!" Sunny winced slightly at the mention of Orange Joe. It was some kind of special mockery of people, disguised as a drink. He quickly shook his head before realizing something.

"...YOU buy me a drink?" He raised an eyebrow, looking at Kel incredulously. Was his ever careless and forgetful friend, who always borrowed money from him, really going to pay for him? A glance at Kel's grinning face proved that yes, he was serious.

This was so unlike Kel. What had happened that he decided to become so kind and caring? Had he done something wrong?

(He'll just leave you eventually. Everyone does.)

Sunny frowned, sitting down in his favorite position: with his legs pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them. He felt protected and safe. Like no one could hurt him while he sat like that. It was calming.

Kel just waved his hand in response to his question.

"Well, what wouldn't you do for your friend? Come on, don't turn down such a wonderful offer!" Kel playfully ruffled his hair with his usual smirk. His eyes seemed to glow, stars burning in them, shining brighter than diamonds. This was always Kel: positive to the point of nausea, no matter what.

Some days it could be overwhelming, and some days it could be a distraction from the intrusive thoughts in Sunny's head.

Honestly, he hadn't been able to distract himself from them for a long time. They were always somewhere inside his head, waiting for him to be alone so they could hit him with a new force... That was why he tried to sleep every minute of his life for the past few months.

The thoughts filled his brain, eating away every bit of rational thought, leaving him with bleary eyes and altered beliefs.

(You're so useless. Why does Kel even talk to you anymore?)

They were always somewhere inside. Somewhere he couldn't reach. Sometimes he wanted to take a knife and just stab himself in the chest, or maybe in the stomach, just to get rid of that presence. Just to feel like he was worth something again.

(Nobody wants you.)

It was true. He tended to agree with the thoughts most of the time. It was his fault. It was him, imperfect, incapable of even something as simple as a recital. He had screwed everything up. Kel was probably just pretending to be interested in hanging out with him now. And Basil, too.

Maybe his friends never wanted to be his friends. Maybe they just hung out with him because he was the little brother of their sister figure and they couldn't leave him out of it for good reason. Maybe they were finally going to do it now and he had no control over it because it wasn't his choice to begin with.

(It's his fault. If only he could just be normal-)

"Suunnnnyyy? You okay?" Sunny blinked, momentarily disoriented and unsure of what was going on. He focused his gaze and saw Kel's worried face in front of him. "Hey, man, I've been calling for you for a few minutes now. You're just staring into space... Are you okay?"

Sunny swallowed. Great, now he'd upset Kel and made him worry for nothing. Of course he was fine. He was just being dramatic. So he nodded and looked down at the ground.

Any enjoyment he'd had from the picnic was gone. He'd ruined it again. He'd ruined the atmosphere, ruined Kel's mood, ruined their time together. And all because of his stupid little rants...

(It would have been better if he–)

Kel interrupted his thoughts again, a soft, hesitant smile appearing on his face.

"Hey, if you don't want Orange Joe, I'm always willing to buy you something else." Kel's smile widened as he continued. "I understand that you can't stand this wonderful taste." Sunny's face scrunched up again.

He could only shake his head, unsure if he could say anything right now. His throat felt tight and he coughed involuntarily. Great, the last thing he needed was to get sick. Mari couldn't take care of him and he didn't want to be a burden.

He looked up again and saw that Kel was pouting this time. Wow. That was something new. Kel rarely pouted at him, only when he disagreed with something he really wanted. Usually he pouted at Aubrey, and that was for any reason he could think of.

"Sunny, come on! I can't live peacefully if I don't buy you something to drink! Even plain water will do!" Kel whined, pretending to 'swoon', as if the very idea of Sunny refusing to drink something was killing him. It was really confusing, because why did Kel suddenly want to buy him something so badly?

"...Okay, if you want." He muttered, looking incredulously at Kel who immediately jumped up, excited and full of energy. He almost immediately regretted agreeing. Almost. Maybe Kel could let him forget about these thoughts again.

"What a vibe, Sunny! Great!" He wasn't entirely sure the tired look in his eyes could be described as "great vibe," but whatever. Maybe Kel knew better.

(He hadn't realized what he was really like for a long time.)

"Come on, let's go. We need the best!" Kel grabbed his arm, lifting him off the blanket and immediately dragging him toward the drink machines. He stumbled a little at first, but quickly caught himself before he fell completely. That wouldn't be pleasant.

"You know they're all the same, right?" He asked, looking at Kel emotionlessly, who only gave him a carefree smile. That was Kel: carefree, happy, just living his life like a real kid.

(Kel was everything he wasn't. Just a useless parasite.)

"You don't understand. It's when I buy something that it automatically tastes 100 times better! Take my word for it, Sunny!" Kel winked at him. The only thing he could do in response was sigh and force out a weak, but sincere smile.

Maybe hanging with Kel wasn't such a bad idea.

Sunny came home more tired than he had been in months.

(How could he even be that tired? Was he that weak?)

His body ached and his stomach was churning from eating so much. It hadn't really been that much, just a few snacks Kel had bought him a few hours after their last meal.

(Good job, made Kel spend even more money. What a waste.)

Great, now thoughts were back. He knew the distraction from them was only temporary.

(He knew he deserved them. After everything he'd done, he didn't deserve any peace.)

Now he had two choices: sleep, or go to bed and stare at the wall until he fell asleep from exhaustion at about midnight.

(Stupid kid. Can't even spend his free time properly.)

He would have preferred the first option, of course, but it wasn't up to him.

(Of course he would have chosen the easier way. A useless brat who couldn't do anything worthwhile.)

With a sigh, he took off his shoes and sauntered up the stairs to his room. Mari was away at her extracurricular activities, so he was on his own for a long time.

(She didn't want to be around a worthless, pathetic person like him.)

He climbed the steps and found himself in front of his bedroom door, pushing on the handle to open it. He couldn't blame Mari. He wouldn't want to be around himself either if he could.

(You should just-)

"Hey, Sunny, you're back!" Sunny's mind short-circuited as he looked blankly at Marie, who was sitting on her bed, reading a book with a small smile on her face.

It couldn't be her, could it? This was some kind of hallucination. Had he spent so much time in the Headspace that he was already seeing things? Although, this had never happened before.

(So crazy. Even started hallucinating about his sister when he realized she couldn't stand being around him in real life.)

Blinking, he waved uncertainly at Mari, who only smiled wider. It seemed surreal. Maybe he fell asleep on the picnic with Kel and was now in a dream? But normally he would have immediately found himself in the White Space...

"How was your walk with Kel? I was at Hero's earlier and he said that Kel had gone for a walk. I immediately knew you were with him, since you weren't home." No. This was impossible. This wasn't a dream. Real life events never leaked into dreams.

So... This was reality? But then...

"Why aren't you in extra classes?" He muttered quietly, barely audible, before closing his mouth as Mari's smile grew sadder. Why did he ask that? He had upset her again, for the umpteenth time.

(This time she would definitely dump him, just like he had dumped his violin.)

"Oh, I got off early today. Sunny..." Oh. Here it comes. She'll turn away from him and it'll be entirely his fault.

(She'll tell him how disappointed she is in him now. Just like she did during rehearsals...)

"Sorry, I kind of ignored you all this time..." What? Did he hear that right? Blinking, he saw a gentle smile on his sister's face. He still couldn't believe that this was real. This had to be a dream.

Mari never apologized without a reason. She was proud and stubborn. And now she had no reason to apologize. So this was completely absurd.

"But now your big sister promises to free up her schedule and spend more time with you! How about that?" Sunny just nodded absentmindedly, suddenly realizing that he was still standing in the aisle of the room like an idiot.

(Stupid, dumb, blockhead.)

Closing the door, he walked over to his bed and sat down. Mari, apparently satisfied with their conversation, went back to reading. Only now did Sunny realize how much his eyes were closing. He couldn't suppress a yawn as he lay down on the bed and covered himself with the blanket, without even changing his clothes.

It had become a regular practice in the last few months to go to bed in the same clothes he had been wearing all day. It might have been uncomfortable, but he didn't have the energy to change. It meant getting up, going to the closet, getting a change of clothes, and so on. 

It was just unnecessary movement. 

(He couldn't even appreciate the clothes his parents bought him. He really couldn't appreciate anything was gave him.) 

He couldn't help but think about all the things he could do if he weren't so lazy. Or if he had the energy. But now, thinking about it, it felt like climbing Everest. Too hard, too heavy. 

Yawning for the second time, he turned to face Mari, watching her relaxed figure sitting on the bed. She was so... Peaceful. He realized that this was the first time in months that he had fallen asleep in his sister's presence. Before that, she had always been busy.

He found it pleasant. The feeling of having someone next to him... It felt like safety. Like a promise that he would be watched over and protected while he slept. Looking at Mari's peacefulness, he didn't even notice how he began to relax. 

He opened his eyes, not even realizing that he had closed them, when he felt a touch in his hair. His sleep-haze found Mari sitting next to his bed, gently combing through his hair. 

When had she managed to get up and walk to his bed? He must have been much more tired than that, since he hadn't even heard her footsteps. 

He didn't notice her worried gaze or the way she muttered to herself. All he could notice was that she was next to him now. This was all he had ever wanted. This was the reason Headspace had been created. He wanted her to be here. 

Maybe things were finally starting to get better? Mari was there, she cared for him, she even promised to make time for him in her schedule. Maybe he was finally not such a loser as he used to be...

This time, no thoughts came to mind. Mari continued to run her fingers through his locks, stroking them gently. A third yawn overcame him as his eyes closed on their own, and he fell asleep under the watchful gaze of his older sister.

For the first time in a long time, he felt loved. No thoughts came to him while Mari was protecting him.

Welcome to White Space.

You have been living here for as long as you can remember.

.

..

...

Omori opened his usually impassive eyes to the White Space that had been so familiar to him for so long. This was his home.

He stood up, remembering to perform his ritual of petting Mewo. Her fur was soft. Nice.

He could stay here if he wanted. With Mewo, waiting for something to happen.

But his friends were waiting for him. He couldn't keep them waiting. It would be selfish.

Pulling away from Mewo, he slowly walked to the door and opened it. He saw the familiar room of the Neighbor again.

Aubrey, Kel, and Hero were there, just like any other day. Stepping into the room, Omori closed the door and waited for someone to notice him.

The first one to notice him, as she always did, was Aubrey. However, something was different this time.

Instead of the joy and excitement he had expected, he suddenly saw Aubrey frown.

Then she pouted and turned away from him, her arms at her sides. Omori blinked, confused. 

Even though he didn't show it, her actions made him uneasy. Why was she acting like that? 

Kel and Hero apparently didn't notice him, engrossed in their card game. This time, he had to approach them himself. 

When Kel looked up to look at Hero, he finally saw Omori. His eyes immediately lit up and he threw down his cards. 

"Omori! You're finally here! Let's go play!" Kel had his usual loud voice, but for some reason today he seemed more excited than before. 

Hero also looked up and smiled softly when he saw Omori. 

"Omori, it's good to see you. Come join us." He patted the empty seat next to him. Omori was about to sit down.

"I don't want Omori to play with us." Aubrey suddenly said, crossing her arms and turning back to everyone.

This time, it wasn't just Omori who was confused, but Kel and Hero as well. At the same time, Omori's brain was working at 100%, trying to figure out what was going on.

Why was Aubrey acting like this? She wasn't usually like this. Certainly not towards Omori. Maybe she was just in a bad mood and being moody?

Omori was about to approach her, but she pulled away, stubbornly shaking her head and pouting even more.

At that moment, Hero intervened with a worried expression.

"Hey, Aubrey, why are you acting like this? What did Omori do to you?" Kel nodded in agreement, hugging Omori's arm.

"You can't stop him from playing with us for no reason!" He shouted, causing Omori to blink in protest at the volume.

He didn't show it, but at the same time his mind was frantically going over the last few events, trying to figure out where he had screwed up.

He couldn't figure it out. He hadn't done anything. It was like usual. Everything was always like usual in Headspace.

Snorting, Aubrey rolled her eyes and stamped her foot, heading for the exit of the Neighbor's room. Confused, everyone followed her.

This time it was a quiet walk to the Forest Playground. No one said a word, feeling too awkward.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. Headspace couldn't be awkward.

They walked south from the stump and reached their destination. Mari was sitting on a blanket next to a basket.

Basil was sitting next to her, weaving a flower crown. Omori hurried to sit next to him.

Basil smiled broadly at the sight of him and rushed to hug Omori, wrapping his arms around his neck. The unfinished wreath was carefully set aside."

Omori! I missed you!" Basil said happily as Omori hugged him back. His hair tickled Omori's neck, but he enjoyed the hug.

Hero sat as close to Mari as he could. Closer than he usually did, but Omori decided to ignore it.

Kel sat next to Omori, immediately grabbing food from the basket and starting to chew on it. Within seconds, he was chatting with his mouth full.

"Kel, don't talk with your mouth full!" Mari warned, giggling slightly as Kel nodded, trying to swallow a large mouthful of food.

The last one to sit on the picnic blanket was Aubrey. She sat the farthest away from him, still pouting.

Basil pulled away from the hug and went back to weaving the wreath, but this time he leaned on Omori, resting his head on his shoulder.

Omori didn't push him away. He didn't mind that much anyway. It felt nice.

For a few minutes, everything was calm, the air was filled with quiet chatter. However, at some point, everything went quiet and silence fell.

Omori closed his eyes, feeling the light breeze caressing his face. It was so calm and good.

However, he was still worried about Aubrey and her behavior. A slight frown appeared on his usually stoic face.

Perhaps Hero noticed this, because he leaned over and whispered something to Mari, who immediately turned to Aubrey with a sweet smile.

"Hey, Aubrey?" Aubrey hummed, turning to Mari. "Hero told me that you were a little rough with Omori today. Do you want to tell me what happened?"

Aubrey's face, which had been calm before, became irritated again at his mention. Omori opened his eyes, looking at them.

Basil and Kel also took notice, curious about why Aubrey was acting like this.

Aubrey, in turn, took a deep breath.

"I'm offended by Omori. He's mean." Mari frowned, looking at him for a moment before turning back to Aubrey.

"Why do you think he's mean, Aubrey? He's never done anything to you. Is there something we don't know?"

Mari nudged her gently, wanting to know the reason why her younger friend was so upset with her brother.

"Omori is bad and evil! He abandoned me!" Aubrey cried out, pouting and turning away from everyone. Omori, like everyone else, was confused.

When did he abandon Aubrey? He didn't do anything that could be considered such a thing.

Mari must have thought the same thing, because she sat down next to Aubrey and began talking to her in a quiet voice.

Omori didn't hear them anymore. But he could notice the resentful glances that Aubrey was throwing at him.

His chest tightened as he sighed. For some reason, this all felt so painful. Maybe it was because Aubrey never held grudges.

At least, not against Omori. She held grudges against Kel, but never against him. What had he done wrong?

At that moment, a particularly strong wind picked up and the flower crown that Basil had been holding flew away.

The boy squeaked and tried to catch it, but a gust of wind caught it and carried it further into the forest.

Basil whimpered, turning to Omori, tears in his eyes. Omori's heart sank again.

"Omori.. M-My crown.. Can you get it for me?" Basil asked in a whiny tone, wiping his teary eyes.

"I-I'm afraid to go into the forest.. It's dark and scary there..." His words caught the attention of the other, who began to console Basil.

"Don't worry, Basil, I'm sure Omori will do well." Mari said, smiling. "He's brave. Aren't you, Omori?" 

He nodded, getting up from his seat and walking towards the forest. 

"Thank you, Omori! We'll wait for you here, like always!" His sister said at last, and then he entered the forest. 

...

Omori had to admit, the forest was quite scary. The fog around him, the distorted trees, the lack of foliage and the dry bushes... 

It was a very strange place. No one knew where this forest came from, not even Omori himself. 

He didn't like things he didn't know anything about. And he didn't like this forest. But Basil had hopes for him. 

He couldn't let his best friend down. What if he got mad at him like Aubrey? He didn't want that, even more than he didn't want to go into the forest.

Little by little he went deeper and deeper, but the crown was still nowhere to be found. Omori began to worry.

What if it wasn't there at all? Maybe it was somewhere else and he was looking in vain. Maybe his friends had already seen it and taken it.

This thought almost made Omori turn back, but suddenly he noticed something colorful and bright among the gloomy colours.

Looking closer, he realized that it was indeed Basil's crown. Nodding to himself, he walked over and took it.

It was unharmed and the same as when the wind blew it out of Basil's hands. That was good. He didn't want Basil to be sad.

Omori was about to turn around and go back, but something caught his attention. It looked like... A crack in the ground.

Frowning slightly, Omori put the crown aside and walked over to the crack, examining it.

There was nothing visible inside it, everything was black, no matter how hard he tried to look. Omori became curious about what it was.

He had never seen this in Headspace before.

He tried to stick his hand inside, but as soon as he did, he felt himself leaning sharply and falling somewhere.

Everything was black. He continued to fall, not knowing what to do or where he was falling.

He became scared. He immediately regretted that he had even approached this crack. He should have just gone and given the crown to Basil.

Omori landed in some room. It was black, completely, like everything he had seen before.

Standing up, he looked around and realized that there was nothing here except for a single mirror. Maybe this was the exit?

Without thinking twice, Omori walked up to the mirror, looking into it. This was a mistake.

It wasn't him that was looking back at him. Instead, he saw some kind of monster, with a distorted face, a wide-open mouth, and holes where the eyes should be.

A rope was dangling around his neck, as if he was hanging. He was dressed in a nightshirt and shorts. His head was slightly tilted.

But most importantly, he was staring at Omori with his absent eyes. A chill ran down his spine as he tried to back away.

Something twitched and suddenly there was a loud, almost piercing scream that made Omori flinch.

He turned and started to run, but Something quickly caught up with him, screaming something unintelligible.

Right at the moment when Something was about to break his neck, Sunny woke up.

Sunny woke up shaking. It was the first time in months that he had a nightmare. His chest tightened and he tried to blink, but tears filled his vision. He couldn't breathe, everything around him was turning dark.

Frantically wiping his face, he jumped out of bed, trying not to trip. He needed to get to the bathroom. He needed to make sure this was just a nightmare.

"Sunny?" Mari's sleepy voice came. He must have woken her up. "Are you okay? Do you- Oh, you're crying. Did you have a nightmare?" He could only nod, still trying to catch his breath. His body was shaking and he could barely keep his balance.

Before Mari could say anything else, he turned and ran into the bathroom, slamming the switch to turn on the light. He stumbled to the sink and looked into the mirror through his blurred and partially dark-spotted vision.

There he saw... Himself. Shaking, crying, but himself. That calmed him down. So it was just a nightmare. Just a stupid dream. There were no monsters. It was just him and his imagination.

Mari followed him into the bathroom. He realized only now that he had left the door wide open in his panic. His sister came up to him, looking worried.

"Sunny, are you okay? Do you need help?" He sighed, shaking his head as he wiped away his tears. He just needed to calm down. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled, his shaking subsiding slightly, his tears no longer flowing like a waterfall.

Turning around, he hugged Mari without warning, burying his face in her chest. She immediately hugged him back, gently stroking his hair.

"Hey, little brother.. Looks like that dream really scared you.. Do you want to talk about it?" He shook his head. He just wanted to forget about it and not remember it. Mari accepted his answer. They hugged for a few more minutes before she pushed him towards the exit.

He silently walked towards Mari's bed, leaving her some space, which brought a gentle smile to her face.

"Still needing your big sister? I'm flattered." She playfully said, getting into bed and holding back a small yawn. He immediately hugged her again. He just wanted to be comforted.

Mari began to hum softly, stroking his hair. It was so peaceful and calm that he himself did not notice how he began to fall asleep. The last thought before he fell asleep was...

How glad he was that he had an older sister.